I wonder if it is possible to use HD1 when screen is closed.
As I read it from CNET news:""Opening the screen turns on the camcorder. On paper, that's a sweet, natural feature that cuts down on the preparing-to-shoot checklist. In practice, though, it means that the screen must be open to record anything, which eats up battery power and looks silly when you're just recording audio.""

Serge, I did one test where I recorded video while attached to a TV. It was with the s-video, not the component. The component output can only be used while the camera is in the charging base. The picture seemed to get much worse on the TV while the recording was taking place.

Many people might debate it's use as a primary camera, but I think these MPEG4/H264 style cameras still have a good place as back up/second/special purpose cameras. If the compression worked better, I would have a use for them. I have a friend that wants to do a documentary on a person, who is sort of like a athlete, and we could strap it to him.

Joseph and crew:

I am going to kick myself for this, as it is unlikely I will buy one to use it: but is it possible to get a better picture from this camera. Does a direct live computer, component, or web-cam hookup offer better compression, uncompressed, or anything?

Ash, why you are mildly perturbed by our testing the limits of a great little cam like this I don't understand.

It's got better manual controls than the PD1/HD1/HD10 - those controls were a nightmare!

I'd be surprised if you defended garden variety Super 8 film cameras while dismissing the Sanyo HD1.

As you know, many non-professional Super 8 film cameras make a great contribution.

Testing? Fine... it just bugs me when people focus on resolution as if it is THE benchmark. My buddy has an HD1 and I was checking it out today, like I said, neat little toy. Does it have more resolution than an XL2? Sure... so what, it doesnt look near as good, not close. I guess you guys are judging solely on resolution? An image is limited by the sensor that recieves it and the glass it goes thru. In anything but sunlight the HD1 images are extremely noisy and uber-compressed. I was just thrown for a loop when I saw the length of this thread and talk of 35mm adapters... I personally dont get it... CLEARLY many others do!

Most people know virtually the only assets this camera has are it's physical size, slightly smaller than standard... and it's image resolution, slightly greater than standard.

Still, it's fun to test the boundaries!

I've directed a feature on Super 16mm and recently another feature on a JVC PD1. I chose the latter camera 18 months ago over the HD1 because I wanted to stick with 25p for the project. So when you say 'I guess you guys are judging solely on resolution?' you're quite wrong.

I certainly do not just pick the cam with the greatest resolution.

Danny Boyle did a great job with a Canon XL1S on 28 Days Later. He used roughly 8 cams. He could have done that on HDCAM if he'd wanted, they had approx 15 million, but he chose the XL1S and on the director's commentary says one reason was that personal handycams had become so ubiquitous: theirs was the look he wanted in a world where official systems had broken down. Buttressed by the respectable interchangeable lens system of the Canon, of course..

You wouldn't like it if someone dismissed an XL2 just because it wasn't HD. Don't dismiss this cam just because it isn't semi-pro.

In this brave new digital world it's not really a question of whether cameras are good or bad Ash - more whether they are suitable or unsuitable for a particular job. That's what I was trying to get at by bringing up Super 8. It was never meant to be semi-pro but definitely can be.

You're right, some people may get confused, think this camera is better than it is, but many of us do know what we are talking about.

But, I think H.264 has the possibility of much better quality so I'll wait. I'm wondering if the next JVC will use the new AVC chip.

I've been wondering that too, it would be a logical way to go, though camera standard support is not about logic that suits the customer. I posted an news article that indicated that the new camera would have both 720p and 1080i support, like the Ambarella chip, but it could be dual HDV support. But where is the pro version?

You can flip 180 degrees the lcd display so it stays laying over the camera but the camera will power on. Whith my old C1 i made a lot of videos skiing in my weekend past year. The result was not very profesional but fun to see later. I put the camera on my head with a strap!

I always preach, right camera for the job...as I noted I can see where this camera could have use, it is the talk of filters, adapters, etc. that had be baffled. At that point, why not just get a better camera?